Chris Cirmo, a dean at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point who championed civil discourse, critical thinking and access to public higher education, died unexpectedly Thursday while jogging.
Cirmo, 63, served as the dean of the College of Letters and Science since 2009.
"Chris, above all, was a person of integrity, honesty and compassion. He was an ethical leader who always advocated for our students, faculty and staff. Our university is a better place because of his dedication, hard work and kindness," Chancellor Bernie Patterson said in a message to campus.
Cirmo launched a civil discourse initiative and worked with colleague Dona Warren to advance critical thinking. "He was deeply committed to help people become more scientifically literate so they could be more savvy consumers of information," she said. The civil discourse initiative, which included public forums on topics with multiple viewpoints, raised awareness on vetting a variety of voices in a civil manner.
The first in his family to attain a Ph.D., Cirmo was passionate about providing opportunities for students who didn't think they could attend college, said Warren, associate dean of the College of Letters and Science. "He was deeply committed to access opportunities and to helping students realize their potential and fulfill it. That was probably his guiding principle."
His public service mission externally was to collaborate with and serve local needs, Warren said. Cirmo sought creative ways to offer education, establishing collaborative online degree programs with UW Extension and Continuing Education and coordinating the Geographic Information Systems flexible degree program and an aquaponics certificate program.
He was instrumental in launching majors in health information management and technology, data analytics and social work. He established minors in aquaculture, biomedical writing and re-established an environmental studies minor. He had been involved in securing and planning construction of the new Chemistry Biology Building, slated for opening in fall of 2018.
Cirmo expanded outreach to the community through stewardship of the college's Academy of Letters and Science, collaboration with business partners, such as Sentry Insurance to endow faculty positions in data analytics, and continuing the popular community lecture series. He was instrumental in helping UW-Stevens Point transition to a new General Education Program in fall 2013. He was a strong proponent of faculty development and accomplishment, noted Greg Summers, provost and vice chancellor of academic affairs.
Prior to joining UW-Stevens Point, Cirmo worked in higher education administration and teaching. He was an assistant professor at a private liberal arts college, a tenured faculty member and department chair at a regional comprehensive SUNY campus, and as teaching associate and post-doctoral scientist at Syracuse University.
Cirmo was an environmental scientist with British Petroleum Corp. and program director in the Hydrological Sciences Section of the Earth Sciences Division at the National Science Foundation (NSF). A practicing geoscientist, he was principal investigator and collaborator on grants from the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Department of Education, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the NYC Department of Environmental Conservation.
He completed his Ph.D. in environmental science and engineering at Syracuse University. He was originally from Utica, New York.
He is survived by his wife, Barbara Cirmo, and two children, Amethyst Sloane and Ethan Cirmo.
Friends may call Friday, June 2, from 4 to 8 p.m. in the Alumni Room of the Dreyfus University Center, 1015 Reserve St. All UW-Stevens Point parking lots will be open. Private family services will be held.
In lieu of flowers, the Dean Chris P. Cirmo Memorial Scholarship Fund has been established: https://give.uwsp.edu/dean-cirmo-memorial.
A complete obituary is at www.bostonfuneralhome.net/obituaries/Christopher-P-Cirmo?obId=1871844#/obituaryInfo.
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